Decide About Politics – Opposition Leader Tells Patarkatsishvili

A leader of the opposition Republican Party Davit Usupashvili said on March 7 that influential tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili should put an end to uncertainty prevailing about his possible political career and decide soon whether or not he will enter politics.

In an interview with Imedi TV on March 5, Patarkatsishvili said he is no longer permanently based in Tbilisi because he does not want to be engaged in the country?s internal political standoff between the authorities and opposition. But he also added that he may go into politics given extreme circumstances.

Speaking on Imedi TV?s late-night political talk show on March 7, Republican Party leader Davit Usupashvili said that Patarkatsishvili?s uncertain stance makes the authorities nervous, as they ?are afraid? that Patarkatsishvili enjoys a certain authority with Georgian society and because he co-owns media outlet Imedi TV.

?So it seems that the authorities will continue their hysterical attacks on Patarkatsishvili. What we need to do is undertake politically reasonable and well thought-out steps. Mr. Patarkatsishvili said he will be engaged in politics only if he is forced to do so in a very extreme case. I am sure that Mr. Patarkatsishvili understands very well that politics is not a place for those who are forced to engage in it just because of personal interests. One should go into politics because of the problems of others, because of values,? Usupashvili said.

?I think that many people, including Mr. Patarkatsishvili, should make a final decision? So I would recommend to Mr. Patarkatsishvili to decide [whether to go into the politics or not] as soon as possible; this is a very important and serious issue for Georgian politics,? he said.

?We now have at least six or seven parties that have managed to establish themselves on the Georgian political scene. So there is a choice – I mean that he [Patarkatsishvili] may choose from these parties, or may establish his own,? Usupashvili added.

He also made it clear that the Republican Party is ready to launch consultations with other political forces about possible cooperation.

?We should not think that we have much time ? a year and a half [before the presidential and parliamentary elections in Georgia] is not much time. All the issues should be agreed and arranged in the next few months. A very fierce battle is ahead and Imedi TV seems to be involved in it,? Usupashvili said.

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